Chapter Seventeen: The Clever Return of Sworn Brother

  Xin Wumen's Zhang Ping rode the little black donkey non-stop to rush to Shang Qing Guan. The reason he didn't tell Shi Qing and his wife was that the two messengers had come to reward good and punish evil, and Zhang Ping had already made up his mind to live or die with the sect. It seemed that Master suddenly sent himself out to help Yifu and Yimu find Yixiong, also wanting to let himself escape this disaster.

  Back in the Taoist temple with its green bricks and red tiles, Zhang Ping suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of calm in his heart. He came to Master Tianxu's chamber, without waiting for permission, Zhang Ping entered inside. Looking at his astonished master, Zhang Ping paid respects and said: "Master, this time I've come back, no matter what, I won't leave easily again."

  Looking at Zhang Ping's determined eyes, Tian Xu let out a sigh of relief and helplessness: "Go back and rest well."

  Half a month later, the three strikes and four falls of the bell had just finished, when two people suddenly appeared at the gate of the main hall of Shangqing Temple. Only to hear that the fat man wearing copper-yellow clothes loudly sang: "The two envoys of Xiake Island who reward good and punish evil invite the master of Shangqing Temple to go to Xiake Island in South China Sea on December 8th to drink a bowl of Laba congee." The sound was continuous and uninterrupted, penetrating the entire Shangqing Temple.

  The fat man then asked: "Which one of you is the leader of the Upper Clearness Sect?"

  Only his own master, Tianxu, hastily stepped forward and replied: "I am not talented, Tianxu, and I have been appointed as the current leader of the Shangqing Temple. Please be at ease, gentlemen, on the eighth day of the twelfth month, the old Taoist will certainly arrive on time for the banquet."

  As soon as the words fell, the two envoys of rewarding good and punishing evil threw the copper plate into Tian Kong's hands.

  "Master, no!" Zhang Ping shouted as he flew over to try and stop him. Alas, the distance was too great, and by the time Zhang Ping arrived at Tian Xu's side, the copper plate had already been accepted.

  "Master, what's the point of this? We're going to fight them." After saying that, he wanted to draw his sword and engage in a fierce battle with the two envoys of reward and punishment. But just as he turned his head around, the two envoys had already vanished into thin air, leaving Zhang Ping with a feeling of emptiness.

  "It's alright, Li. Success and failure are in the hands of heaven, life and death are predetermined by fate. You don't have to worry, I've lived for so many years and have long since let go of everything. Go back and play chess with me."

  "Yes, Master." Zhang Ping held back his tears and supported his master as he walked towards his room, as if supporting the entire world.

  Three days later.

  His adoptive father and mother arrived at the Upper Clearness Temple, Master Tianxu ordered the kitchen to prepare a table of wine and dishes. With nothing else to do, he went to take a look at how the wine and dishes were being prepared.

  Suddenly, Zhang Ping found a figure flashing into the kitchen in the darkness. So, Zhang Ping immediately escaped with his soul. Only to see a shadow entering the kitchen from the corridor, and the figure seemed somewhat familiar. Upon closer inspection, it was surprisingly his sworn brother Shi Zhongyu.

  Zhang Ping's soul immediately returned, and he quickly came to the front of Shi Zhongyu, saying: "Yu'er brother, how did you come? You didn't even notify me when you came to Shangqing Temple. Today, my father and mother came over but didn't mention you, how did you escape?"

  "Brother Jade? You've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not some gang leader, nor am I Shi Po Tian. I'm just really hungry and couldn't find anything to eat. The two big brothers at the entrance wouldn't sell me any food either, so I had no choice but to come in and look for something to eat. I won't eat for free, I have silver."

  Upon hearing his sworn brother's strange reply, Zhang Ping felt puzzled. However, he immediately said: "Never mind, come with me and have a meal together with everyone, your uncle and aunt will definitely be very happy to see you."

  Zhang Ping led his sworn brother into the dining hall and said to Shi Qing and his wife: "Uncle and aunt, look who this is."

  "Yu'er." Min Ruo rushed over and exclaimed. "My poor child, let Mom take a look at your injuries."

  "Goddess of Mercy, I am not the person you are looking for. Although many people say I am that person, I actually am not that person. You say you are my mother, but I already have a mother. My mother is missing and I am currently searching for her." Shi Zhongyu's strange reply left everyone feeling astonished.

  Min Ruo heard that Shi Zhongyu didn't recognize her, and she was extremely sad, almost crying again. She said: "Poor child, this is not surprising. After so many years, you don't even recognize your parents. You left when you were just a little thing, and now you're already taller than your father. If I hadn't known that you were captured by Bai Wanjian, and Li'er hadn't spoken up, I wouldn't have recognized you at first glance."

  However, Shi Zhongyu still refused to acknowledge it. He said: "Mrs. Shi, you, you, you've mistaken me for someone else, I'm not your son."

  Everyone saw him dead or alive and refused to recognize his own parents, angry and surprised.

  At this time, Zhang Ping said: "Uncle and aunt, I asked on the way here. Yu'er seems to have forgotten many things about the past, I deduce that he may be suffering from a soul loss syndrome. For now, please think carefully, uncle and aunt, whether there are any birthmarks or something on Yu'er's body that can confirm his identity."

  "Yes, Yu'er. When you were young, your left buttock was injured by a golden needle dart. The scar should still be there. Take off your undergarment and take a look." Min Ruo hastily said.

  "I, I..." All he saw was his sworn brother reaching out to touch his own left buttock, seemingly unable to feel anything, and the expression on his face kept changing.

  "I'm your mother, and these are all your aunts. Li'er has been with you since childhood, what's there to be shy about? Alright, alright, you and your father go to the next room to check." Min Ruo said. Then, Shi Qing led Shi Zhongyu away to the next room.

  Before long, "Sister, Jade, it's really Jade." Upon hearing Shi Qing's words, Min Ruo immediately rushed over, and Zhang Ping followed closely behind.

  Only then did Min Ruo take the jade from the stone and hold it in her arms, muttering to herself: "Yu'er, Yu'er, don't be afraid, no matter how big a thing is, Daddy and Mommy will take care of you."

  "But Shi Zhongyu cried: 'I don't know you're my mom, I don't know he's my dad, and I don't know there's a scar on my butt. I don't know, I don't know anything...'"

  Zhang Ping stepped forward and advised, "Uncle and aunt, people with the ' Departed Soul Syndrome' should not be forced, otherwise it will only worsen their condition. In any case, today Yu'er has returned safely, which is a joyous occasion. And Yu'er was driven by hunger to enter the Upper Clearness Temple, so let's go eat something and celebrate first."

  After Zhang Ping's reminder, Shi Qing and his wife also calmed down. Min Rou, who was worried that the children would starve, hurriedly pulled Shi Zhongyu to eat.

  "Shi Shidi, Min Shimai, today your beloved son has escaped danger safely, it's a joyous occasion. Come, let us all drink this cup together and wish for the young master's speedy recovery." said Master Tianxu after everyone had finished.

  It seemed that finding her beloved child made Mrs. Min very happy, and she had an extra bowl of rice for this meal. At the dinner table, Mr. and Mrs. Min expressed their willingness to go to Xiake Island on behalf of Master Tianxu, but unfortunately, after a dispute, it was all in vain.

  After dinner, Shi Qing and his wife took Shi Zhongyu to the side room to rest and also to figure out how many things he could remember. Zhang Ping, on the other hand, went to consult a large number of classics about the soul loss syndrome.

  The next day, Zhang Ping came to the wing room of his adoptive parents and carefully listened to their account of Shi Zhongyu's experiences. It was indeed a tortuous and strange story, and he couldn't help but think that this was the little beggar that Xie Yanke had brought up the mountain all those years ago. Because he still remembered very clearly how he had taken away the Black and White Twin Swords back then.

  However, this also raises a problem. It has been more than three years since Shi Po Tian took over as the leader of Chang Le Gang, but according to Yu Er Ge's account, he spent six New Years at Mo Tian Ya, and the time doesn't match up. There must be some ulterior motive behind this.

  Facing Zhang Ping's doubts, Shi Qing and his wife initially thought that Shi Zhongyu was confused at the time and remembered it wrong. However, after asking in detail, they found out that every New Year's Day on Mount Tian, Xie Yanke would cook for Shi Zhongyu, while normally Shi Zhongyu would do the cooking. Therefore, he had a very deep impression of the six New Year's Days and described them in great detail, it was absolutely impossible to be wrong.

  And then from half a year ago to Chang Le Gang, the following things are also very clear. Only before Hou Jianji's life, Shi Zhongyu only said that he and his mother and Ah Huang lived in the mountains. Hunting and catching birds every day, eating and sleeping, it doesn't sound quite normal, actually if you do this every day, people won't have too many impressions. Just like my own feeling about the mysterious space, I don't feel how much time has passed.

  Moreover, Hou Jian didn't recognize him at first when he arrived at Xue Shan Pai, which raises too many suspicions. Furthermore, Shi Zhong Yu has been practicing martial arts since childhood and his innate talent for it is not bad either. Even if he lost his memory, he should have retained some of his martial instincts. But looking at him now, it seems like a completely different story.

  So Zhang Ping proposed to his uncle and aunt that they go to Hou Jian Cun. Because if what he said was true, then a child who had never been out of the house before would definitely not be able to walk far in just a few days. And the "home" he mentioned must also be close to Hou Jian Cun.

  After hearing Zhang Ping's analysis, Shi Qing and his wife also decided to investigate the matter clearly, while Shi Zhongyu also expressed her desire to figure out who she really was.

  Then the four of them immediately set off at full gallop towards Hou Jian Village. On the way, Zhang Ping touched the two copper plaques in his bosom and thought of his past experiences in Shang Qing Guan, feeling a mix of emotions. This time leaving Shang Qing Guan might be a permanent farewell. Let Xiao Hei live out its remaining years peacefully in Shang Qing Guan, perhaps Master will think of me when he sees it.

  In the Upper Clearness, it wasn't until evening that they discovered the two copper plaques were gone. Only a letter and a book of Yin Yang Sword Spectrum remained in the place where the copper plaques had been. Tian Xu read the letter and couldn't help but leave behind two lines of clear tears...

  Today is New Year's Eve, I'll add one more post, wishing all book friends a happy new year and thanking all book friends for their support.